With clean, sleek and modern furniture being the current trend, those with different styles can feel left out. But if your preference is furniture that’s more antique, you can have it both ways. These pieces can add beautiful conversation pieces for each and every space, while also staying on-trend.
This antique table adds so much character and charm to the space. With a unique design and intricate detail, the table adds a pop of color and a one-of-a-kind piece to bring the room together. Benches on the side create clean lines that add a subtle modern twist. Add a decorative lamp and some miscellaneous decorations on top to complete the look.
Photo courtesy of Covet House
Photo courtesy of Wallsauce
For more of a juxtaposition between the antique and modern styles, look toward bold representations of each. The mural on the wall is of Michelangelo’s painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. As one of the most famous pieces of classical art in the world, it adds a beautiful antique look to the space. Pair it with a modern couch and coffee table for a beautiful composition of both styles.
For a more antique look with less modern accents, look to rustic furniture, walls and floors. This space has an old world charm, and the cabinet’s bold yet faded color add to this style. The rugged wooden floors consisting of different hues contribute to the rustic charm as well. Add greenery and a beautiful mirror to bring the space fully together. The cabinet below has more modern accents to balance the antique style. The bold, retro lamps and decorative wallpaper create an eccentric character to the room.
Photo courtesy of Orchid Furniture
Photo courtesy of Orchid Furniture
Leading industry designers visited the Duralee showroom in New York’s Decoration & Design Building to hear expert opinions on how to tour and shop the European antique market.
Photo courtesy of The Robert Allen Duralee Group
New York’s Decoration & Design Building had its second installment of its Designer Forum Series, “European Treasures, Discovered; Source Like The Experts,” on February 6. Known nationally and internationally as the world’s most important home to more than 130 showrooms, the DDB represents more than 3,000 leading manufacturers dedicated to the very best in residential and business interior furnishings, educational opportunities and resource information.
More than 100 designers visited the Duralee showroom to hear the expert tips of Toma Clark Haines, founder and chief executive officer of The Antiques Diva & Co. The Antiques Diva & Co. is the world’s largest antiques touring company, sourcing services in 15 countries across Europe and Asia. At the event, Haines shared her secrets to touring and shopping the European antique markets alongside well-traveled designers Garrow Kedigian and Robert Passal.
Justin Shaulis, Design Host for the philanthropic-based HGTV series, “Home Rules,” also attended the event. As an interior designer client, Shaulis turned to Haines with a client’s tight budget, knowing that he could get more bang for his buck overseas without sacrificing on quality. Haines shared that in theory, the European Market offers a 3 to 5 times markdown compared to the New York City market, notwithstanding cost of travel and delivery.
While it may be easier to buy multiple pieces when the prices are lower, Passal noted that the “best price” for a piece is whatever you’re willing to pay, citing that value isn’t always calculated in dollars. Kedigian suggested that pre-shopping the Markets before visiting with clients and then post-shopping without them to close the deals makes for a smooth sourcing process, as well.
Throughout the year, the DDB will be teaming up with various leading experts of design and luxury to elevate the design conversation and provide added value to the interior design community.
Photo courtesy of the Decoration & Design Building
Ruth Gay tells all about the launch of her business, her love for European architecture, and how she strives to remain authentic.
By Kristen Ordonez
Though born in Parkersburg, West Virginia, Ruth Gay spent most of her childhood and adolescence growing up in Europe, traveling around the continent and living in places like Belgium, Ireland and Germany. This sense of adventure transpired into her career, as she opened Chateau Domingue, an architectural antiques firm, and became a 21st-century explorer.
How did you start in this business? What inspired you to begin working with antique home pieces?
My husband and I were going to build a house and my idea for his birthday was to take a trip to France to celebrate and shop for pieces to include in our new home. I really wanted to bring Europe to Houston. When we got there, it was harder to find certain pieces even though I knew they were there, and this was before the Internet was “big.” In 2001, I went on my first buying trip, starting out with one employee in the fall, and by Valentine’s Day I was asking my husband for a forklift as my gift. Now, with somewhere between 70 to 80 employees, it’s definitely no longer a hobby.
How often do you travel to Europe and what do you typically look for?
Traditionally, I go about every other month, but recently with the start up of Domingue Architectural Finishes [see page 32] I’ve only gone about three times in the last year. Typically, I will buy anything, from flooring to beautiful mantels and doors. I will buy things like entire private chapels, entire ferry stations for components at a time, orangeries, reclaimed lighting, ceilings… a lot of stone, mixed materials, and stone tables.
Do you prefer the smaller items like stones and tables, as opposed to the larger pieces like chapels and ceilings?
No, it’s got to be big, the bigger the better. Although I have a really big door fetish at the moment; we have about 700 doors in our inventory.
What are your favorite areas to visit in Europe?
My favorite area to visit and to work is Provence. I love the people, the weather, and the lifestyle. I’m also in Belgium a lot, which I really love. When it comes to design, I think Belgians are some of the more forward-thinking people, whether it’s interior design, architecture, or clothing design. I think the Belgians really have it going on.
What do you mean, “forward-thinking”?
They love to use old materials, and yet it’s so clean and contemporary looking. It’s the way they use the old materials. They probably use the old materials because they all live in old houses and that’s what they have.
A serene blue wall finish, inspired by the city of Bruges, from the Domingue Architectural Finishes palette.
Photo by Kennon Evett
Do you think this kind of style is how you base your searching, or are you open to other design styles?
I’m very open. We work with so many designers all over the country and so many people have their own style. It’s just so fun to watch how somebody will use our 17th-century flooring and old stonewalls in a very contemporary setting.
What would you like people to take away when they see you and your brand? What makes you stand out?
That one’s easy for me: it’s quality. Whenever we say something is what it is, if it’s reclaimed or it’s 17th century, it is. It’s really about authenticity and quality, and I think that’s what people take away when they come here. We’re an 18,000-square-foot showroom on 3 acres, and when people come to visit us, that’s one of the things we always hear: “I’m really blown away by the quality.”
Where would you like to see yourself and Chateau Domingue in 5 years?
Continuing to grow the business, and eventually my dream is to open another showroom somewhere else.
The Chateau Domingue showroom in Houston, Texas is appointed with antique, reclaimed architectural elements and features a consistently rotating inventory of decorative antiques acquired in Europe.
Photo courtesy Chateau Dominigue
Eddy Dankers & Ruth: Together Naturally
Gay recently partnered with artisan Eddy Dankers to open Domingue Architectural Finishes, a line of antique finishes within Chateau Domingue’s umbrella of other name brands.
How did you start in this art and in the business with Ruth Gay — what inspired you to begin working with her?
I could tell from the wonderful pieces Ruth imports for Chateau Domingue that she had an appreciation for natural materials and that her taste was very sympathetic to mine. We both care about things that are authentic and discretely luxurious, that capture quality and beauty in equal measure.
What about European design and art is so intriguing to you?
My passion is more for the materials than for a particular style. There is so much history behind what we do. These are materials that have been used in Europe for centuries and have never gone out of fashion for restoration projects. But what makes them exciting is how well suited they are for contemporary buildings and interiors. The finishes are so flexible; you can achieve any look, so they suit any style.
Can you go into more detail about Domingue Architectural Finishes and what the company offers?
We offer lime wash, mineral paint and a range of lime plasters. All of the materials are natural and together represent a collection of architectural finishes that are beautiful, flexible and unprecedented in the U.S. market. We will soon be introducing a line of interior and exterior paint from Belgium that is ideal for trim, windows and doors and other wood elements. It is a remarkable paint: easy to apply with a beautiful and durable matte finish.
What advice would you give to someone going into art, the antique business or even working on designing the interior of their home?
What we do is a mirror of our eyes so you always want to be curious and observant, traveling and connecting with people. It’s important to make no assumptions, to be naïve in a way, to just be honest and open.
Upon entering the Chateau Domingue showroom, one can expect to be greeted by a beautifully curated vignette.
Photo courtesy Chateau Domingue